Students should read the passage
silently, then answer the questions. Teachers may also use the text as
part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt

Measuring distances is done by measuring length. You may use a different system to measure length differently than other places in the world. This is because there is more than one system you can use.

The United States uses something called the English system. Other countries use something called the Metric system instead. The U.S. uses the Metric system sometimes. Yet in the U.S., English is the system that is used the most.

Runners and cyclists travel yards, miles, or meters. These are all distances. Yards and miles are English system measurements. A meter is the standard unit (for length) of the Metric system.

Each system is unique. The reason the United States has not converted over to the Metric system is simple. So many people know the English system
since it is still taught in schools. Scientists hope one day there will be one universal system that is used across the world.

The English System

You should already recognize units in the English system. If you have ever measured anything with a ruler or traveled in a car then you have used the English system.